Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen

Dwight Clock · 10/22/07, 10:44 PM

In another thread SpfldMile brought up Langhorne, Flemington, and Sedalia as tracks he wished he could have seen. I never made it to Sedalia but spent many a race day/night at the other two. Langhorne, as a dirt track, was absolutely brutal. There was no straightaway and drivers spent 100 miles in a constant turn which wore out even the toughest of men. Many top drivers, most noticably Rodger Ward, refused to race there. The tough guys - Jimmy Bryan, Jud Larson, and A.J. Foyt did well there although Bryan paid the ultimate price at the PA. track. As a paved track beginning in 1965 it was still tough but not nearly as lethal as when it was dirt. Flemington, "The Square", was an incredible Saturday night dirt track. A momemtum track, it was lightning fast and offered lots of passing. Few drivers really figured out the fast way around but those who did won lots of races there - Al Tasnady, Sammy Beavers, Stan Ploski, and Billy Pauch among the modified drivers and Harry Benjamin & Buck Buckley among sprint car drivers were the best. USAC SC cars ran there twice with Doug Wolfgang (1982) and Sheldon Kinser (1983) winning.

SpfldMile · 10/22/07, 11:21 PM

A more local track I wish I could have seen is Champaign, IL. On the fair's website, they still race motorcycles during the fair, but no real race cars. I think Bubby Jones won a lot there back in the day.

10/22/07, 11:29 PM

I wish I would have been able to go to Lil' Springfield with my dad... he always talks about how awesome it was and when I was growing up, he wasn't te only one to use the shopping center parking lot as a urinal :rolling:

I also wish we could have seen more than one race at 16th Street...:crying:

-Drew

sprintcar64 · 10/22/07, 11:57 PM

I would of like to of seen or raced at Ascot. Also Jungle Park looks like it would of been an exciting track to watch a race.

10/23/07, 6:34 AM

Ascot is one I would have loved to have seen in person.

Langhorne for sure but as a dirt track. I know that track was the toughest track in racing and no other track has a more horrible background than that.

Gilmore Stadium in the hey day or midget racing would have been the best to see.

Jungle Park is up there too.

Danny Burton · 10/23/07, 6:42 AM

In Indiana, Warsaw. Next door, New Bremen. Nope, never did get there. Both were long drives.

Otherwise, Ascot would lead the way. Along with some of those in the East, such as Reading.

tntbusco · 10/23/07, 7:53 AM

For me Ascot and Langhorne sound like they were amazing. Also
me dad told me about a little track in Andrews,In. He said the racing
wasn't that great but the fights were pretty impressive.

Seadog · 10/23/07, 8:06 AM

Nutley Velodrome.

E.P. · 10/23/07, 8:14 AM

Ascot and any one of the board tracks with the mighty midgets on the card for the evening.

ThrottleHead · 10/23/07, 8:15 AM

Ascot, Langhorne (dirt) and ANY of those old wood board tracks. The pictures and videos I've seen.... man that was INSANITY but I'd be SOOOO there to watch it!

10/22/07, 11:57 PM	#4 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
sprintcar64 Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 159	I would of like to of seen or raced at Ascot. Also Jungle Park looks like it would of been an exciting track to watch a race. __________________ Derrek Williams

10/23/07, 6:42 AM	#6 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
Danny Burton Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,343	In Indiana, Warsaw. Next door, New Bremen. Nope, never did get there. Both were long drives. Otherwise, Ascot would lead the way. Along with some of those in the East, such as Reading. __________________ http://www.hoseheads.com/dannyb.html Quiet, numbskulls. I'm broadcasting.

10/23/07, 8:14 AM	#9 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
E.P. Senior Member Race Count This Year: 22 Race Count Last Year: 17 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 288	Ascot and any one of the board tracks with the mighty midgets on the card for the evening. __________________ Eric B. Pethtel

10/22/07, 10:44 PM	#1 Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
Dwight Clock Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,233	In another thread SpfldMile brought up Langhorne, Flemington, and Sedalia as tracks he wished he could have seen. I never made it to Sedalia but spent many a race day/night at the other two. Langhorne, as a dirt track, was absolutely brutal. There was no straightaway and drivers spent 100 miles in a constant turn which wore out even the toughest of men. Many top drivers, most noticably Rodger Ward, refused to race there. The tough guys - Jimmy Bryan, Jud Larson, and A.J. Foyt did well there although Bryan paid the ultimate price at the PA. track. As a paved track beginning in 1965 it was still tough but not nearly as lethal as when it was dirt. Flemington, "The Square", was an incredible Saturday night dirt track. A momemtum track, it was lightning fast and offered lots of passing. Few drivers really figured out the fast way around but those who did won lots of races there - Al Tasnady, Sammy Beavers, Stan Ploski, and Billy Pauch among the modified drivers and Harry Benjamin & Buck Buckley among sprint car drivers were the best. USAC SC cars ran there twice with Doug Wolfgang (1982) and Sheldon Kinser (1983) winning.

10/22/07, 11:21 PM	#2 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
SpfldMile Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,345	A more local track I wish I could have seen is Champaign, IL. On the fair's website, they still race motorcycles during the fair, but no real race cars. I think Bubby Jones won a lot there back in the day.

10/22/07, 11:29 PM	#3 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
Midget82 Posts: n/a	I wish I would have been able to go to Lil' Springfield with my dad... he always talks about how awesome it was and when I was growing up, he wasn't te only one to use the shopping center parking lot as a urinal :rolling: I also wish we could have seen more than one race at 16th Street...:crying: -Drew

10/23/07, 6:34 AM	#5 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
dirtywhiteboy Posts: n/a	Ascot is one I would have loved to have seen in person. Langhorne for sure but as a dirt track. I know that track was the toughest track in racing and no other track has a more horrible background than that. Gilmore Stadium in the hey day or midget racing would have been the best to see. Jungle Park is up there too.

10/23/07, 7:53 AM	#7 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
tntbusco Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 184	For me Ascot and Langhorne sound like they were amazing. Also me dad told me about a little track in Andrews,In. He said the racing wasn't that great but the fights were pretty impressive.

10/23/07, 8:06 AM	#8 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
Seadog Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,136	Nutley Velodrome.

10/23/07, 8:15 AM	#10 Re: Tracks You Wish You Could Have Seen
ThrottleHead Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,150	Ascot, Langhorne (dirt) and ANY of those old wood board tracks. The pictures and videos I've seen.... man that was INSANITY but I'd be SOOOO there to watch it!